The Global Economy (Pgs. 1131-1138)


Economic Globalization
  • Establishment of international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
  • IMF began promotion of market economies, free trade, and high growth rates
Free Trade
  • Freedom from state-imposed limits and constraints on trade across borders
  • An issue was, to what extent does free trade enhance the prosperity of a society?
GATT and WTO
  • General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
  • 23 noncommunist representatives signed the agreement in 1947
  • Later negotiations were held to loosening barriers of free trade
  • The total of 123 members in 1994 decided to make (WTO)
  • World Trade Organization (WTO) which took over the GATT's activities
  • WTO has turned into a forum to settle international trade disputes
Global Corporations
  • Have replaced traditional international or multinational forms of corporate enterprises
  • International companies were used to extend business on a global scale
  • There were more perks to a global corporation such as:
    • a small headquarters stakk
    • low operating costs
    • treat the world as a single market
  • Some global corporations include:
    • General Motors
    • Siemens AG
    • Nestle
-They all are benefiting from ongoing globalization.

external image GM.jpg

-General Motors Corporation

Economic Growth in Asia
    • Economies in east and southeast Asia underwent high economic growth
    • This growth was due to globalization
  • Japan
    • US policies sparked economic revival in Japan
    • Japan benefited from Marshall Plan just as other countries
    • War reparations were pardoned
    • There were no trade restrictions
    • Japan no longer needed to spend money on military protections as the US was helping military protection
    • At first Japan's economy wasn't prepared (it had a large pop. and little resources
    • Economic leaders emphasized economic development and low wages with an export driven economy
    • The labor force was compliant
    • Labor was cheap
    • Japan churned out a lot of manufactured goods
    • Later Japanese corps. utilized highly trained workforce to create high quality goods
    • Japanese growth was not as sustainable into the 21st century
  • The Little Tigers
    • Other Asian economies copied Japan: Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
    • They suffered from the same problems as Japan, but found the same solutions
    • Soon they came Japan's competitors
    • Later Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia joined
  • The Rise of China
    • Mao Zedong's economic policies were disastrous
    • Later China's leaders began reversing the other policies and opening up
    • Created Socialist Market Economy
    • The role of the government was limited
    • It was a major exporter and also had cheap labor and enormous domestic markets
    • It has brought in investment from the world
    • Joined World Trade Organization in Deccember 2001
  • Perils of the New Economy
    • Globalization exhibited promise of economic growth
    • Asian tigers however soon went to bust economies
    • This bust was due to an financial crisis in 1997
    • There was much investment in the Asian tigers, and a sudden lack of confidence led to a crash in the markets
Trading Blocs
    • Soon trade was opened signalling the interdependence of the global economy
    • Many countries created economic alliance with trade to build economic strength
  • European Union
    • The most integrated trading bloc is the European Union
    • The original members (France, West Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg) formed the European Economic Community in 1957 with the the Treaty of Rome
    • Renamed the European Community in 1967
    • Its goal was trade liberalization
    • It created the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament to work towards European political integration
    • European Union in present form was created in 1993 Maestricht Treaty
    • Originally had 15 nations with common currency (euro)
  • OPEC
    • One of the most effective economic alliance: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
    • Created in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, later joined by Qatar, Libya, Indonesia, Abu Dhabi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, Gabon
    • They sought raising the price of oil through cooperation and held political power as demonstrrated by the Arab Israeli War when OPEC plunged the world into recession
    • The influence declined in the 80s and 90s as a result of overproduction and disagreement
external image article_med_opec-Logo_0.png.gif?1293457228
  • ASEAN
    • Association of Southeast Asian Nations
    • Established 1967 by Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Phillipines
    • Sought to accelerate economic development and promote stability
    • It was originally established to stop the spread of communism but took more of an economic focus after Japan joined and cooperdated with the European Community
    • IN 1992 they agreed to a 15 year free trade zone
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  • NAFTA
    • The US also needed a regional trrade bloc
    • It entered the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico in 1993
    • It is the second largest free trade zone, though it is looser than the European Union
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  • Globalization and Its Critics
    • There is much disagreement over whether globalization is good or bad
    • Supporters say:
      • It will bring prosperity, it is the only way
      • It delivers markets with maximum efficiency
      • Always directs goods to where they are demanded
    • Critics say:
      • It is an unregulated juggernaut that is not desirable
      • It impoverishes many
      • It diminishes national sovereignty
      • Transfers power to transnational corporations and global institutions (WTO, IMF)
      • Rapid economic development leads to environmental destruction, income inequality, cultural assimilation


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